The present invention relates to a connector for a flexible printed circuit (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cFPCxe2x80x9d) and more particularly to a connector for a FPC, which is suitable for a high density packaging on a printed circuit board.
A conventional connector for a FPC disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (JP-A) No. H09-82427 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4. As shown in FIG. 1, a housing 15 includes a base portion 20 and side walls 21 disposed both ends of the base portion 20 and is configured to have an open top. The base portion 20 is provided with a large number of slits 20a formed in the front side and a large number of slits 20b formed in the rear side.
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, first contacts 16 are inserted into the slits 20a at the front side of the housing 15 and second contacts 17 are inserted into the slits 20b at the rear side of the housing 15. Each of the first contacts 16 includes a contact portion 16a, a fixing portion 16b, and a lead terminal portion 16c projecting outside the housing 15.
As shown in FIG. 3A, in the state that the first contacts 16 are inserted into the housing 15, the contact portion 16a and fixing portion 16b which form together a U-like section vertically sandwich a convex portion 20c projecting toward the front of the housing 15. The each first contact 16 further has a contact point 16d which is provided on an end portion of the contact portion 16a so that the contact point 16d is in contact with a pad of a FPC 19 for electric continuity. In the state that the first contacts 16 are inserted into the housing 15, the bottom level of the fixing portion 16b and the bottom level of the lead terminal portion 16c are flush with the bottom level of the housing 15.
As shown in FIG. 3B, each of the second contacts 17 comprises a contact portion 17a, a fixing portion 17b, and a lead terminal portion 17c and further comprises a spring supporting portion 17e positioned above the contact portion 17a. As shown in FIG. 3B, in the state that the second contacts 17 are inserted into the housing 15, the contact portion 17a and fixing portion 17b vertically sandwich a convex portion 20d projecting toward the rear of the housing 15. The end portion of the spring supporting portion 17e is in a generally curved shape and this portion supports an actuator or a lever 18 described later. The each second contact 17 further has a contact point 17d which is provided on an end portion of the contact portion 17a so that the contact point 16d is in contact with a pad of a FPC 19 for electric continuity. In the state that the second contacts 17 are inserted into the housing 15, the bottom level of the fixing portion 17b and the bottom level of the lead terminal portion 17c are the same as the bottom level of the housing 15.
In the state that the first and second contacts 16, 17 are inserted into the housing 15, the contact portions 16a, 17a are aligned to alternate to each other in the width direction of the housing without overlapping. Therefore, the contact points 16d, 17d of the first and second contacts 16, 17 are arranged in a zigzag configuration in the longitudinal direction and in the width direction. As shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C, the contact points 16d, 17d of the first and second contacts 16, 17 and the pivot portion (the ends of the spring supporting portions 17e) of the lever 18 are positioned to form together a phantom isosceles triangle.
The lever 18 has a pivot portion 18c supported pivotally about the ends of the spring supporting portions 17e and is positioned above the housing 15 as shown in FIG. 1. After the FPC 19 is set to a predetermined position above the housing, the lever 18 is pivoted to press and fix the FPC 19. In this state, the lever 18 functions as a lid of the housing 15. As shown in FIGS. 3A through 3C, there is a curved engaging portion 18a at the pivot portion of the lever 18. The engagement between the engaging portion 18a and the ends of the spring supporting portions 17e of the second contacts 17 allows the pivotal movement of the lever 18 about the ends of the spring supporting portions 17e. When the lever 18 is open (FIGS. 3A and 3B), the contact portion of the lever 18 relative to the FPC 19 is formed in a generally curved configuration. When the lever 18 is closed (FIG. 3C), the contact portion of the lever 18 relative to the FPC 19 is formed like a flat surface.
As shown in FIG. 1, the opposite side walls of the lever 18 are provided with convex portions 18b near the ends thereof. When the lever 18 pivots about the ends of the spring supporting portions 17e and becomes lie down, the convex portions 18b are fitted or engaged into concave portions 21 a formed in inside faces of the side walls 21 of the housing 15 to hold the lever 18 in closing state.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, a number of contact pads 22a, 22b are provided on the bottom surface of the FPC 19 so that these contact pads 22a, 22b are aligned to alternate to each other in two lines of zigzag configuration. The contact pads 22a near a head edge of the FPC 19 come into contact with the contact points 17d of the second contacts 17 while the contact pads 22b far from the head edge of the FPC 19 come into contact with the contact points 16d of the first contacts 16.
Since the conventional connector for a FPC described in the above with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4 has the lever 18 which is structured to pivot for the opening and closing movement relative to the housing 15, there is a possibility that the lever 18 is inadvertently opened when the FPC 19 is pulled with force exceeding a predetermined value in a direction of opening the lever 18.
As described concretely, the distance between the pivot portion of the lever 18 (the ends of the spring supporting member 17e of the second contact 17) and the concave portions 21a, formed on the opposite side walls 21 of the housing 15, to be engaged with the convex portions 18b of the lever 18, is shorter than the distance between the pivot portion of the lever 18 and a portion where tensile force in such a direction that the FPC 19 opens the lever 18 acts (the edge of the lever 18 far from the pivot portion of the lever 18), so when the FPC 19 is pulled in the direction of opening the lever 18, the lever 18 may be opened even with small force.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector for a FPC in which an actuator is hard to open even when the FPC is pulled in a direction of opening the actuator.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for being connected to a FPC having a plurality of pads, the connector comprising a plurality of contacts for becoming in contact with the pads, respectively, a housing holding the contacts, and an actuator for holding the FPC in cooperation with the housing, the actuator including a pivot portion pivotally held to the housing and a locking portion spaced from the pivot portion with a first distance, the housing having a receiving portion for making engagement with the locking portion in a state of tightly holding the FPC, the actuator further including a particular portion received with release force of the engagement from the FPC, the particular portion being spaced from the pivot portion with a second distance therebetween, the first distance being determined greater than the second distance.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector for being connected to a FPC having a plurality of pads, the connector comprising a plurality of contacts for becoming in contact with the pads, respectively, a housing holding the contacts, an actuator for holding the FPC in cooperation with the housing, the actuator including a pivot portion pivotally held to the housing, a locking portion connected to the actuator and spaced from the pivot portion with a first distance, and a receiving portion connected to the housing for making engagement with the locking portion in a state of tightly holding the FPC, the actuator including a particular portion received with release force of the engagement from the FPC, the particular portion being spaced from the pivot portion with a second distance, the first distance being determined greater than the second distance.